Friday, February 27, 2009

Hi everyone!Welcome aboard Eddie's Railfan Page.It's just amazing how things have changed so much around Chicago since I began taking 35MM photos during the early 1980's. It's even more amazing how many small business chains have came and went as well. This photo is a prime example of that.

I took this photo on a Febuary 1986 visit, to the south suburban village of Alsip Illinois. Alsip was a favorite destination for Me during the 1980's by CTA bus or My own Bicycle, as I did not own My first car just yet. We are on the west side of South Pulaski Road, just south of the intersection of West 115th Street. In the foreground, we see the original Taco Bell fast food take out restaurant, with the original small Taco Bell architecture in the style of a Spanish Mission style building from Mexico. Within a few years, Taco Bell would upgrade by building newer and sometimes larger restaurants with modern corporate architecture. many of the old Taco Bell laces were closed , phased out or demolished to make way for the new imagecorporate restaurants. Some of the old Taco Bell buildings with their unique archtecture, went on to become Travel Agencys, Hot Dog stands,Cell Phone stores, Real Estate and Insurance agenys, or even Florist shops.

Behind the origianl Taco Bell store, We see a short lived Chicago area Doughnut store chain known as "Winchell's Donuts". Winchell's Doughnuts were primarily located on Chicago's southwest side, and were out of business before the end of the 1980's.The old Winchell's Donuts at South Kedzie Avenue and west 58th Street, is now a Greek owned fast food chain store known as Nicky's Gyros.

Farther in the background at the intersection of South Pulaski Road and West 115th Street, We see a Texaco Gasoline Service Station. Texaco decided to leave Illinois in April of 1986, and this station would soon become part of a local Ford dealership.

I photographed this silent digital video with My old Digital camera that I no longer have. We are looking south toward the Belt Railway of Chicago and Canadian National ex Grand Trunk Western crosstracks at Hayford Junction. A westbound Canadian Pacific Railroad double stack intermodal container train, is seen traveling westbound over the Belt Railway of Chicago tracks to nearby Clearing Yard in Bedford Park Illinois near Chicago's Midway Airport. Unusual on this intermodal train and not seen on the rear of freight trains since at least the early 1980's, is this former Soo Line wide vision caboose. The train is passing over the Canadian National Railroad's former grand Trunk Western line, wich has been single tracked through here since 1989.

Hayford Junction is located at West 75th Street and South Central Park Avenue, in Chicago's Ashburn neighborhood near the Ford City Shopping Center and Daley College.

I took this photo after work one overcast Autum evening, in early November of 2007.We are looking south on South Kostner Avenue, were the street ends at what would approximately be West 33rd Street. A former Grand Trunk Western Railroad EMD roadswitcher acquired through merger by the Canadian National, is seen at work assembling freight trains inside the former Illinois Central Railroad "Crawford Yard", located just footsteps east of the border at west suburban Cicero Illinois.Crawford Yard, is a modest facility located along the former Illinois Central Railroad's own Iowa Division Mainline.

I took this photo after work one day around sunset, in January of 2007. The CSX Transportation Company has just finished switching the factory spur sidings along West 16th Street in west suburban Cicero Illinois, and is now returning to the Belt Railway of Chicago interchange at the Chicago city limits on a cold but dry winter day.

I took this photograph on location, at West 49th Street and South Lawndale Avenue on Chicago's southwest side, on a hot and sunny day in August of 1986. The Chicago Transit Authority's Orange line rapid transit to Chicago's Midway Airport was still 7 years away. Back in 1986, there was two ground leval railroad branchlines here at this location. This pick up truck, is heading eastbound at the South Lawndale Avenue railroad crossing, over the Belt Railway of Chicago owned tracks. This heavily ballasted branchline was used primarily for transfer trains coming and going from the nearby Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad "Corwith Yard". Out of view behind the pick up truck, was the light railed and very poorly maintained Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad "Stockyards" branchline. The IHB abandoned the Stockyards branch in December of 1988, and sold the right of way to the Chicago Transit Authority. The rails were pulled up in 1989, and construction began on the CTA Orange line to Midway Airport. The CTA Orange line opened for business in the fall of 1993.

I attended Curie High School just west of this photo location from 1977 to 1981.

I took this photo on a somewhat overcast August 2006 visit to the Illinois Railway Museum, located in the town of Union Illinois. The Chicago Transit Authority decided to phase out electric streetcar operations on Chicago city streets during the 1950's, and focus on upgrading their Rapid Transit system. Several newer PCC electric streetcars with not many years of service in Chicago, and good electrical gear were scrapped and the components were reused. The CTA had two types of "Recycled" light weight rapid transit cars manufactured with PCC streetcar components. There was the 6000 series cars with their doors closer to the center of the car and coupled into permanent 2 car single unit married pair configuration, wich is todays current CTA standard. The other type was the 5-50 series double ended "Single Unit" cars. It was pretty much like a large electric double ended streetcar, that could operate alone as a single unit, or in multiple unit pairs as seen here. These cars were originally used on what is todays CTA Purple line, but also later served the Skokie Swift and other rapid tansit lines. These cars served the CTA well for many years, and were finally retired in the mid 1990's. Several have found new homes at many operating railroad museums such as the Illinois Railway Museum, The Fox River Trolley Museum in South Elgin Illinois, The East Troy Electric Railroad Museum in East Troy Wisconsin, and even across the border at the Halton County Radial Railway in Milton Ontario Canada.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

I took this photo looking north on North 74th Court, in the near northwest suburban village of Elmwood Park Illinois during January of 2009. Seasonal heavy lake effect snowstorms had hit the Greater Chicagoland Area very hard during the Winter of 2009, and Elmwood Park wasn't spared either. Still, the bright sunshine and cold temperatures give a Winter Wonderland feel to this neighborhood view.

I took this late Winter snowstorm photograph, in March of 2008 on location at the Metra Prairie View commuter rail station in north suburban Lincolnshire Illinois.No matter what the weather may toss at the Greater Chicagoland Area, Metra commuter trains will always stop here from Monday to Friday. This depot serves commuters on the Canadian National ex Wisconsin Central line between Chicago and Antioch Illinois.

I took this photo one summer afternoon, in early June of 2008. One of the busier railroad junctions I have come to know in the greater Chicagoland area, is Hawthorne Junction at the border of West suburban Cicero Ilinois. A Canadian National transfer train enroute to the Belt Railway of Chicago's Clearing Yard in southwest suburban Bedford Park Illinois, heads southbound across the Canadian National's ex Illinois Central Iowa Division Mainline crosstracks. An old interlocking tower stood here just behind the locomotives until 1990. Most of the train traffic through here today, is on the north and south Belt Railway of Chicago trackage. Prior to it's discontinuation in early 1981, the Amtrak "Blackhawk" wich traveled between Chicago Illinois and Dubuque Iowa, passed through this junction over the Illinois Central line.

I took this photo one Autum morning, in late October of 2007. An eastbound Metra local commuter train, is seen idling at the Franklin Park commuter rail station just prior to resuming it's morning journey, to Chicago Union Station.

I took this photo on a July 1996 visit to the Illinois Railway Museum, located in the town of Union Illinois. Preserved Spaulding interlocking tower , a wig wag signal and two Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee Railroad interurban cars....are reanacting a scene from electric interurban style railroading from decades past.A pleasant reminder of day to day life from many years past, now gone.

I took this photo on a quiet and quiete sunny January 1st, 1983 in Chicago's Elsdon neighborhood on the southwest side of the city. A long time landmark on the southeast corner of South Kedzie Avenue and West 47th Street, this is a last look of this run down seedy skid row type of transient hotel just prior to It's demolition.Today, this is the site of a strip mall.

I took this photo one hot summer afternoon, in August of 2008. This is the Metra commuter rail station that serves the north suburban village of Morton Grove Illinois. Local Metra commuter trains stop here on their daily journeys between Chicago and Fox Lake Illinois over the former Milwaukee Road mainline, wich is today owned and operated by the Canadian Pacific railroad.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Hello everybody!Welcome aboard the "Bus Day" edition of Eddie's Railfan Page.Today is a very special occasion here today at My blogsite, It is My"First" aniversary of becoming a Paratransit Bus Driver.

One year ago today, I officially became a professional Paratransit driver at First Transit. It was a career offer that was much too good to pass up. Everyday, I drive a handicapped bus, and assist people who not only need My services...but really appreciate Me as well. It is a very rewarding job, and I enjoy what I am doing.My career as a Paratransit Driver / Handicapped Bus Operator / Transit Worker, is a job that actually has a lot going for it.

Yes folks.....I am one of those real life "Ralph Kramden" types.I am proud to be a bus driver by trade.

I photographed this digital live sound video just south of the intersection of North Harlem Avenue and West Irving Park Road. A northbound Chicago Transit Authority Nova transit bus from the 1990's era with shrink wrapped decal advertising, is seen approaching the intersection at West Irving Park Road around sunset on a summers evening in August of 2008.

I took this photo on a sunny but very bitterly cold Winter afternoon in January of 2009. An eastbound short Pace bus, is seen passing under the Metra / Union Pacific Railroad viaduct in north suburban Highland Park Illinois.

I took this photo on a sunny and pleasant Springtime evening, in May of 2006. Photographed looking east toward South Harlem Avenue / Illinois U.S Route # 43 in southwest suburban Bridgeview Illinois, is a Pace 2002 Orion low floor transit coach heading westbound on West 79th Street.

I took this photo at work one summer morning, in July of 2008. A small convoy of Paratransit buses have pulled out of the Glenview Illinois garage, and are now lined up on Johns Court in preparation for the mandatory pre trip inspection required of all commercial vechicle drivers in the State of Illinois. Soon these fellow drivers will begin servicing their morning routes once the pre trip inspection is complete and the associated paperwork turned in to the office.

One of My all time favorite bus photos I had taken in the city of Chicago Illinois, is this one. I took this photo on a hot summer day in July of 1985. An elderly Chicago Transit Authority mid 1960's era Flxible transit bus is seen here at the CTA bus terminal loop at West 63rd Place and South Kedzie Avenue in Chicago's Marquette Park neighborhood on the southside of town. These buses were in their last full year of service, and were retired in 1986. A small handful of these have made it in to museum preservation. Some became maintenance work service buses after retirement from passenger service.

One of the many pleasant things I have come to know and enjoy as a Paratransit bus driver, are all of the really wonderful fellow workers I became friends with over this past year. My fellow drivers are all like one big family to Me.Here I am ( To the left.) at the Shore School Workshop in north suburban Morton Grove Illinois, standing next to My good buddy and fellow driver Angel. On any given day, Angel is quick to greet You with a smile and a joke or two. He is a fun person to work with, and He is very popular with His passengers. I always look foreward to meeting up with Him or any of My other fellow First Transit drivers at any transfer point, Doctors office, Special school, or anywhere that I am stuck waiting for a passenger on location. My fellow workers ROCK!

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Hi everyone!Welcome aboard Eddie's Railfan Page.I took this photo on a May 1990 vacation I had taken with My Family to the Great Smokey Mountains in the States of Tennesee and North Carolina. I took this sunny Springtime morning photo in downtown Louisville Kentucky on the return leg of the trip back to Chicago Illinois via motorcoach.

Seen here moored at the Louisville Wharf on the Ohio River, is the sternwheel steamboat known as the Belle of louisville. This old rebuilt 1920's era steam powered paddle wheel river boat, takes passengers on a leisurely cruise along the Ohio River.

I photographed this video just in the knick of time, in north suburban Northbrook Illinois. I was walking across the parking lot of the Metra, Northbrook commuter rail station on Shermer Road when I suddenly heard the sound of crossing bells and a speeding train approaching quickly. This Amtrak Hiawatha service regional passenger train, is viewed speeding through Northbrook Illinois enroute to Milwaukee Wisconsin on an overcast Febuary morning in 2009.

I took this photo on a sunny but still chilly outside March afternoon in the year of 1985. This is the former Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad locomotive terminal inside Corwith Yard. This facility was located I believe, on west 41st Street about 4 to 5 city blocks east of South Pulaski Road.

I was in the right time at the right place with a roll of 35MM black and white film in My camera. I took this photo on an August 1990 vacation I had taken in Strasburg Pennsylvania.

We are looking in to the locomotive enginehouse area, at the headquarters of the Strasburg Railroad. Two adults and a little girl, observe both steam and diesel locomotives being put away for the night at the end of the day after pulling tourist trains. The vintage equipment and clothing worn by these people, gives this black and white photo a 1950's kind of look. If one didn't know better, this photo could be mistaken for one taken during the 1950's era steam to diesel transition period on many North American railroads.

I took this photo on a quiet Sunday afternoon in November of 2008. I spotted this former Soo Line Railroad EMD roadswitcher and caboose, still wearing their original 1970's era Soo Line colors and markings long after the merger and acquisition of this railroad by the Canadian Pacific in 1990. We are looking west on Lawrence Avenue in Schiller Park Illinois as the late Autum hazy sunshine sets on a November day in 2008.

I took this photo on an overcast Autum afternoon in October of 2006. An eastbound Chicago Transit Authority Green line rapid transit train has just departed from the Harlem Avenue station at the west end of the line, and is now passing over the viaduct at South Boulevard and Euclid Avenue in west suburban Oak Park Illinois enroute to Chicago.

I took this photo around sunset one evening, in January of 2009. Two rebuilt 1950's era EMD yard switchers from the Central Illinois Railroad, are seen behind a chain link fence at their headquarters at 918 West Cermak Road in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood.

I took this photo on an August 2006 visit to the Illinois Railway Museum, located in the town of Union Illinois. This up close detailed shot, showcases the corporate logo pf the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad. This logo is viewed on a preserved maintenance of Way Department (M.O.W) motorcar speeder car on display at the museum.

Monday, February 23, 2009

I photographed this silent digital video with My old digital camera, in early January of 2008. It is the busy morning rush hour period for Metra commuter trains on the very busy BNSF Railway 3 track Chicago to Aurora "Racetrack" mainline. Two Metra trains meet at the Harlem Avenue station in Berwyn Illinois. This is located at the border of West suburban Riverside Illinois.

I took this photo on location, just west of South Lawndale Avenue at approximately what would be West 49th Street. A Chicago Transit Authority Orange line train, has just departed from the South Pulaski Road rapid transit station. The train is seen approaching the underpass viaduct on South Lawndale Avenue enroute to downtown Chicago Illinois.

I took this photo during an October 1989 lineside railfan photo visit to west suburban Hindsdale Illinois. A westbound Burlington Northern Railroad empty unit coal train, is seen speeding through west suburban Hindsdale Illinois over the former pre 1970 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad mainline.

I took this photo one afternoon after work one day in September of 2006.Seen here are two Canadian National Railroad locomotives, in the long lasting 1960's and 1970's era CN Sergent Stripe color scheme. The duo isseen idling alongside the Belt Railway of Chicago locomotive shops insouthwest suburban Bedford Park Illinois.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Hi everyone!This is Eddie K, Your host and photographer here at Eddie's Railfan Page.Yes folks, it's true. My Chicago area transportation blog site has officiallybeen on the internet for Three really wonderful years.

I want to extend a special thank You to all the people who have been readingand supporting Eddie's Railfan Page, and to all the "New" viewers who haverecently discovered My blogsite.

A special thanks and recognition goes out to My friend Tom AKA "Lapstrake"from My links page "Tom's Photos and Comments". Without his expertise andthe fact that He helped Me get this whole thing started....There may nothave ever been "Eddie's Railfan Page", and all those old railfan photos Itook would have proboubly stayed undiscovered in shoe boxes and photo albums.Thanks Tom!

In 2009, My Blogsite was upgraded, and now You can view both silent and digitallive sound videos, wich I believe add a lot of life to this photo page.Also, several links pages have been added as well here.

I would like to hear from You everyone.How do You like the videos? Also, How did You discover Eddie's Railfan Page?Is there any feature or subject matter that You enjoy here?

I photographed this Wintertime railfan video, on location at the Metra, River Grove commuter rail station. Seen here on a very brightly sunlit but very bitterly cold morning in January of 2009, is a speeding eastbound Metra express commuter train enroute to Chicago Union Station downtown. Notice the two commuters on the outer platform geting sprayed with snowdust in the wake of the speeding commuter train.

I took this photo on a March 17th, 1985 CTA rapid transit chartered excursion train.The Illinois Railway Museum located in Union Illinois, sponsored this unique all day charter over all of the Chicago Transit Authority rapid transit lines, and named it"The Snowflake Special". Our train was made up of 1950's era CTA 6000 and 5-50 series lightweight rapid transit cars in their final years of service and facing eventual retirement from service. This cars interior, is still in the original CTA 1950's era two tone green color scheme. Medium or teel green was used below the windows, and aqua green for the upper sections. Notice the individual incadescent light fixtures on the ceiling. Several CTA 5-50 and 6000 series rapid transit cars have found homes in various railroad museums around North America including the Illinois Railway Museum itself.

I took this photo from the parking lot of a local lumberyard on the east side of Archer Road / Illinois U.S Route # 171 in southwest suburban Summit Illinois. A northbound two unit Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad light engine movement, is seen approaching the IHB Argo Yard in Summit Illinois on a hot summer morning in June of 2007.

One of My personal favorites amongst My archives of railfan photos I had photographed, and proboubly one of the rarest....Is this wintertime railfanphoto I had taken one morning at Hawthorne Junction. The rarely seen localoperated by the Manuafacturors Junction Railroad, is seen returning from theCanadian National ex Illinois Central Hawthorne Yard in nearby Cicero Illinois,with a small cut of boxcars in tow. This industrial shortline railroad, has beenusing these old 1940's and early 50's era 1st Generation EMD SW-1 yard switchers.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

I photographed this night time winter video in January of 2009, in north suburban Skokie Illinois. A westbound Chicago Transit Authority Yellow Line train AKA the Skokie Swift, is seen passing the railroad crossing on Kostner Avenue. We are looking south on Kostner Avenue on a bitterly cold winter night with single digit outdoor temperatures. Notice that the CTA train isn't tooting it's horn for the crossing, proboubly due to a local nocturnal horn abatement ordinance. Also notice the wake of snowdust in it's path.

There is nothing like railfanning on location with a camera when the weather is really nice outside. I took this photo one morning, in October of 2006. An eastbound Metra commuter local enroute to Chicago Union Station, is seen slowing down for the last inbound station stop at Western Avenue, just west of downtown Chicago Illinois.

One of My favorite times of any given day, is proboubly sunset. There is alwaysa certain feeling of magic at the end of a lovely day. I took this mood photo,at Veterans Park in northwest suburban Bensenville Illinois. The sun set on steam locomotive # 18's career decades ago. But now, it is part of a local park display here since 1961.

I took this photo on a lovely Autum day, in late October of 2007. An eastbound Canadian Pacific switching local, is seen departing from northwest suburban Franklin Park Illinois, with a short freight consist in tow.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

I photographed this video on location in north suburban Morton Grove Illinois, in January of 2009. A northbound Metra commuter local enroute to Fox Lake Illinois, is seen crossing Dempster Street after departing from the Morton Grove Metra commuter rail station. The train is traveling over the former Milwaukee Road mainline.

I took this photo on an August 2006 visit to the Illinois Railway Museum in Union Illinois. Retired from service and replaced by a larger and very modern rapid transit station in 1978, this old wooden rapid transit station serves museum patrons today at the Illinois Railway Museum. It was trucked here in 1978, after being donated to the museum by the Chicago Transit Authoority. It served trains on the CTA "Douglas Park" rapid transit line, wich is now todays CTA Pink Line.

I took this photo way back in November of 1987, looking through the front gate of the Burlington Northern Railroad's Clyde Yard locomotive terminal, in west suburban Cicero Illinois. A Conrail early 1960's era EMD model GP-30, is seen amongst the many locomotives being servviced at this facility alongside West 31st Street.

I took this photo in January of 1987, on one of My very many railfan visits to west suburban La Grange Illinois. I took this photo looking northwest, from the south or "eastbound platform of the Metra / Burlington Northern Railroad, Stone Avenue commuter rail depot near the intersection of Brainard Avenue. The day was coming to a close and so was My visit, as the sun was begining to set in the Greater Chicagoland Area. Many things have changed at this location since this visit, as those lineside steam era Teleohone Poles are now long gone.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

The sky is bright and sunny, but the outside temperature is bitterly cold in the single digit range on this bright winter day in January of 2009.

Still, the very dedicated and hardworking crews from the Village of Elmwood Park Department of Public Works are giving it all they've got, and keeping the streets well maintained and presentable. While the snow and ice buildup on North 74th Court and other village streets prohibited street sweeper operation, the plowing crews took over and kept traffic moving with plentiful amounts of road salt. Also lending a helping hand through it all, was this city crew with a modified dump truck and a portable chipper machine in tow, to take care of any downed tree limbs or branches.Plenty of fresh mulch wood chips were produced on this day to help maintain the city parks in the village of Elmwood Park, and other civic projects.

Thank You Village of Elmwood Park Illinois for a job well done in some of the nastiest, bitterly cold winter conditions in 2009.

I photographed this digital live sound video looking west on West Lake Avenue in north suburban Glenview Illinois. The weather over the weekend turned very warm and mild with temperatures in the low to mid 50's temporarily, melting much of the January 2009 Chicagoland lake effect snow accumulations. It was chilly on Monday nonetheless with temperatures in the upper 30's and low 40's.

Seen here at the West Lake Avenue railroad crossing in north suburban Glenview Illinois, is a southbound Canadian Pacific Railroad heavy transfer freight train. The train is traveling over the Union Pacific Railroad's former Chicago & NorthWestern freight only cut off line near Northbrook Illinois. The train is traveling southwest over this former Chicago & Northestern train line on an overcast Winter morning.

I took this photo after work one summer afternoon, in June of 2007. A southbound Canadian National freight train has just left the former Illinois Central Railroad's Hawthorne Yard in nearby west suburban Cicero Illinois, and is now proceeding southbound and connecting on to the Belt Railway of Chicago tracks at Hawthorne Junction. This busy railroad junction, is located directly on the border at West suburban Cicero Illinois, along the Chicago city limits.

I took this photo one evening in December of 2006, at the North Kostner Avenue railroad crossing adjacent to West Kinzie Street. A westbound Metra commuter train enroute to Elburn Illinois, is seen passing through the Northwest Industrial Park on the Metra / Union Pacific Railroad "West Line". Prior to the 1998 merger and acquisition of this mainline by the Union Pacific Railroad, this was the former Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad mainline.

I took this photo looking east from on top of the Canfield Road overpass bridge at the U.S I-90 Kenedy Expressway. An eastbound CTA Blue line rapid transit train is seen heading toward downtown Chicago on a bitterly cold winter day in January of 2009.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Hi everyone!This is Eddie K, Your host and photographer here at Eddie's Railfan Page.I will be hosting My Chicagoland Railfan Photo Slideshow on Saturday, June27th, 2009. This live presentation will take place from 2:00 to 3:30 PM at the Eisenhower Public Library in Harwood Heights Illinois. The library is located at 4613 North Oketo Avenue in near northwest suburban Harwood Heights Illinois, in the vicinity just north of the Harlem Irving Plaza Shopping Center.

A short railfan home movie may be part of the presentation as well depending on time.

Admision is free, and I hope to see You there for a summertime afternoon of local Chicago area railfan photos from the 1980's and beyond.

I photographed this Digital Live Sound Video on Friday, October 31st, 2008. The local industrial shortline switching railroad known as the Central Illinois Railroad, was having an open house at their headquarters and locomotive storage yard at 918 West Cermak Road in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood. Locomotive # 1206 a 1950's era EMD model SW-9 yard switcher originally from the Belt Railway of Chicago, is seen here towing inoperable and heavily grafitti tagged switcher # 1208 out of the west storage siding at the begining of the opne house festivities around 9:00 AM.

I was passing through the town of South Elgin Illinois one December afternoon in 2007, and just couldn't resist the opportunity to take a few off season photos of one of My favorite railroad museums here in Illinois. An old 1940's era Whitcomb diesel switcher from the Warren and Saline River Railroad from Arkansas and a weather beaten red Illinois Central side door caboose, share an outdoor siding track together.

I took this Wintertime sunset railfan photo after work one evening, back in a very bitterly cold Febuary of 2007. The city of Chicago Illinois and the surrounding areas, were experiencing a severe deep freeze condition with single digit daytime temperatures, and several night time low temperatures of 10 degrees below zero.It was 8 degrees above zero and falling fast when I took this photo just east of Hawthorne Junction at the Chicago city limits. A former GTW EMD roadswitcher, is seen at work spotting cars on an industrial siding along the former Illinois Central Railroad's Iowa Division Mainline. There was also a very sharp and cold wind blowing out of the west at the time of this photo.

An old favorite railfan photo haunt of Mine in the city of Chicago Illinois, is the Metra,former Milwaukee Road commuter rail station at Western Avenue. This is a very busy railfan photo location just west of downtown Chicago with two adjacent Metra commuter coach servicing yard facilities, light Metra engine movements to and from Chicago Union Station, and even a little storage yard for Maintenance of Way equipment shown here just west of the Western Avenue station. I have spotted this particular maintenance of way train on the Metra ex Milwaukee Road mainline to Fox Lake Illinois many times, but never between assigments at this location until this June 2007 visit.

I took this photo on a sunny and somewhat mild December morning in 2006. An eastbound BNSF Railway unit coal train is seen here on approach to the Prairie Avenue railroad crossing in west suburban Brookfield Illinois. The locomotives up front, are still wearing the 1991 color scheme of predecessor railroad Burlington Northern.

I took this photo on a quiet Sunday afternoon in May of 2008. An eastbound Iowa, Chicago & Eastern freight train, is seen passing the 73rd Avenue railroad crossing in near northwest suburban Elmwood Park Illinois.

I took this photo after work one evening in 2007. A switching local is seenpassing a factory of some sort on one of My uncompleted H.O Scale model trainlayouts I was working on back then. I am currently between any model railroadingactivity, as long hours at work a lack of space to build and maintain a layoutare currently working against Me.

I hope to eventually get back in to operating My H.O gauge Athearn trains nowin storage, hopefully sometime in the near future.

I took this photo looking east toward North Narragansett Avenue, at the Metra, Galewood commuter flagstop depot. This little unremarked neighborhood flagstop train depot, is located on a curve along the Metra / Canadian Pacific ex Milwaukee Road mainline. It was bright and sunny on this January morning in 2009, but the air was bitterly cold outside. The recent accumulation of Lake effect snow helped make for a winter wonderland setting here on Chicago's northside.